I think Rachael has lost some weight and it looks great. The girl is serious. More power to her. I like this Rachael - she is really selling it. Overselling it in the fw section, IMO, but still, a big improvement.

Also, is it possible she redid her dress in a lighter yellow? Or is it just a different light? At US Nats it looked gold, here more lemony. I like it much better.

I noticed it too. Rachael's a hard worker and has made tremendous improvements in her skating. But for me, the yellow is not a good color at all on her. I think it clashes with her skin tone.

It looks as if Rachel Flatt has proven to everyone that she is better than Mirai Nagasu (and its not just a "Nationals" thing).

Jump-wise. Mirai had problems in her first two jumps passes (slightly two-footed lutz and UR, and edge call on the flip). Mirai's 2A is better than Rachael's, as are her spins and speed. Rachael is better mental strength-wise, though, so I'd actually put them about even. If everything comes together, though, Mirai is better IMO.

Jump-wise. Mirai had problems in her first two jumps passes (slightly two-footed lutz and UR, and edge call on the flip). Mirai's 2A is better than Rachael's, as are her spins and speed. Rachael is better mental strength-wise, though, so I'd actually put them about even. If everything comes together, though, Mirai is better IMO.

Not to mention that one can't make sweeping statements like that based on just on one competition, let alone the short program (i.e. ONE THIRD, point value wise) of the competition

I noticed it too. Rachael's a hard worker and has made tremendous improvements in her skating. But for me, the yellow is not a good color at all on her. I think it clashes with her skin tone.

I totally agree. I think her hair needs to be styled better as well. I get that she wants to look more mature on the ice, but her current style makes her look much, much older than she should. Nice to see that she's made improvements in her skating though.

I think Rachael has lost some weight and it looks great. The girl is serious. More power to her. I like this Rachael - she is really selling it. Overselling it in the fw section, IMO, but still, a big improvement.

Also, is it possible she redid her dress in a lighter yellow? Or is it just a different light? At US Nats it looked gold, here more lemony. I like it much better.

I thought she looked thinner, too. It was a big improvement. (Skating is such a harsh sport, but you do what you have to do). The style of her dress is very good for her, but yellow is a difficult color for just about everyone. But the color is growing on me, too. Well done, Rachael!

Rachel's flapping of her arms in her SP is still way over the top. No matter how clean she skates she never will beat the best. Example today she was clean and still Ando and even a flawed Mao beat her.

I'm glad Rachael's new SP went over well with the international judges. I think this might even be her second best SP score ever internationally, after the Olympics.

But they're still putting her in a different category from other skaters. Mao made mistakes and still beat Rachael. In all honesty, Mao IS in a different category than Rachael. Heck, she's in a different category than everyone at this competition... but anyway, Rachael's good score is encouraging for her.

in my opinion, Rachael's disadvantage is that her LP is not so great. However, yesterday she was completely back to herself with a rock solid performance. You never know - she could WIN this if the other make enough mistakes and she doesn't. The judges certainly made that possible with her score.

Wouldn't that be something if the two girls USA is sending to worlds won the two major international competitions this season aside from Euros of course??? That would be unexpected.

Alissa got a good score despite a fall, which shows both that she refused to give up on the performance and that the international judges totally love her and reward her big time for her amazing spins.

Mirai. I'm actually a bit more disheartened with Mirai's little mistakes than with Alissa's fall - and they were almost as costly. I hope she can finally deliver an amazing performance tonight but she hasn't really done that all year. I'm worried about her relationship with her coach. Her skating is soooo good. You just want her to go there and grab it already.

Mirai needs to be a stronger competitor like Ando or Flatt or should will never realize her full potential. Also her work ethic is questionable since she didn't seem to be in the kind of shape heading into Nationals that she should have been. And lastly she needs to start rotating her jumps. It's getting to be a habit. Frank isn't the problem. It's time for her to grow up and start taking her skating career seriously.